Spousal Support

Sometimes known as alimony and/or spousal maintenance, spousal support is the monetary support paid by one spouse to the other in order to maintain the lifestyle to which the spouse had become accustomed during the marriage and/or to meet the needs of an ex-spouse. Not everyone going through a divorce is eligible to receive spousal support.

Determining the Amount of Spousal Support in Michigan

Michigan courts take several factors into consideration when determining if a spousal support order is appropriate after a divorce. Since there are no statutory formulas for determining spousal support, the court has discretion in setting the amount and length of any payments awarded. Each case is handled individually and depends on the specific situation of the parties. The court may consider, among other things:

length of the marriage;

each spouse’s earnings;

each spouse’s abilities and disabilities;

education level of each spouse;

any domestic violence issues and fault for the breakdown of the marriage;

work history of each;

need for and length of any training necessary to return to the work force; and